


A Change in Life

by Salmon_Wrighte



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Clank Doesn't like the Galactic Rangers, Lombax Clank, Mix between Game and Movie, Robot Ratchet, Swtich AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-09-20 12:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9491354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmon_Wrighte/pseuds/Salmon_Wrighte
Summary: Clank is a lombax seeking answers, and Ratchet is a defect wanting to be more than a lowly repurposed repair bot. When a devious plot comes to one's attention and the two meet, how will the outcome change?





	1. Introductions Needed

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: While one of us owns three of the games as well as the movie, neither of us claim to have any rights to the original story or characters that are used or mentioned in the making of this story.
> 
> Also to avoid any questions or confusion, the beginning of the story will follow the movie, but sometime later we will switch to kinda follow the first game, just so that we aren’t following with the movie and to add something new
> 
> So without further ado, Let the chaos ensue

The planet Tenemule was a flourishing planet with large bodies of water that separated large green land masses. Silvery clouds circled and drifted in the atmosphere. Going in orbit around the uninhabited planet was a ship unlike any other. The base was flat with six spokes topped with blunted cones on each one. The top was a tall glass dome.

Inside the ship hidden underneath one of the many consoles was small robot would just pass someone’s knees were it to stand at it’s full height. It’s oblong head was host to large round optics that glowed a bright green, illuminating the darkened areas where they usually worked. The light from his right optic is dimmed by the crack, one large enough to occupy the lower half of the optic interrupting his vision and getting in the way as he worked. His squat frame was thin enough, allowing it to fit into most small spaces when they were in need of repair. Four fingers flexed and tightened their hold upon the tool that they held working underneath the chosen console fixing a problem that no other repair bot deemed bad enough to fix, so it is here that he is able to hear everything going on, including the constant typing of many cellphones.

From its position underneath the console it’s tasked with fixing, it merely raises one hand and begins to count down on three of its four fingers while thinking to itself. ‘Que bad guy speech in… 3… 2… 1.’ It points out towards where the one in charge stands just as he begins to speak.

“Esteemed citizens of Quartu, I stand before you a proud Blarg,” As soon as the lead Blarg begins his speech the small robot shakes with silent laughter which goes unnoticed as the speech goes on. “For tonight we will twist the very fabric of reality. We will defy nature with reckless abandon.”

They take a pause before continuing. “We have also broken 16 galactic statues and one star ordinance, so I shouldn’t see anything about this online!” It is at this point that all typing stops, and all stand at attention. Well all typing but one but the leader, or as most would call the villain continued unaware.

“In just a few moments we will unleash a weapon so powerful that it will take-” he stopped and stared at one of the other blarg on the ship, finally noticing one of his underlines had not stopped their typing. We waited a few moments for the blarg to notice his presence, during this pause the small repair bot had finished his work and was now watching the exchange.

“Ahem.” The blarg paused and looked up, fingers stalling over the keyboard. “Stanley, were you really still texting, even after what I had just said?” It was asked in a way that almost sounded sincere… almost. Quickly oblivious to the deep hole he had already dug for himself the blarg, Stanley, quickly finished his message without removing his eyes from the Chairmen.

A dry laugh escaped the chairmen. “Victor, if you please.” A small shudder shook the small robots frame at the name, one small hand going to his right optic and covering the crack as they tucked themselves back under the console, not wanting a repeat from the chairmen’s right hand bot. The large bot walked over the the chairman and the poor blarg, his footsteps thundering through the metal of the structure. He grabbed the blarg by the head and pulled him up, his phone dialing his mother. When the blarg was staring into the eyes of Victor the bot held out his hand. As the blarg’s mother picked up the phone the blarg handed the device to Victor who then promptly placed it in his mouth and began chewing even as the call continued until finally the mother hung up.

The blarg was unceremoniously dropped to the floor, “Now, does anyone else feel like texting?” The small bot watched from underneath the console as the blarg shifted uncomfortably, and struggled not to eye contact as the chairmen nodded his head in approval.

“Very well,” he turned towards the large viewing window with its view of Tenemule, “Commence Deplanetization!”

Back at the front of the ship a blarg grabs the mic in front of him and all but screeches “READY THE DEPLANETIZER!!!”

The chairman simple lowers and look his way, unamused. “Seriously?”

Down below alarms start blaring, just barely being heard from the bridge. The small robot comes out from his hiding spot and watches as six red lasers aim at the same spot on Tenemule, a few seconds pass before an orange blast fires at the planet, shattering it in one go. The blarg around him all put on sunglasses as the planet bursts in a blinding glow.

The small robot can only stand and do nothing, wondering how far the Blarg are willing to go before all of this is said and done

* * *

Nearby...ish on the Planet Veldin, in the Kyzil Plateau.

Music flowed from the small radio as the listener worked silently at his desk, the project before him no longer a random mess of nuts and bolts but now a piece of machinery finally taking shape. His tail flicked behind him, kicking up any dust and metal shavings that remained on his floor as his ears flicked every once-in-a-while to the music. As the song faded out his hands stilled as the next song came on.

“Ugh, are you kidding me.” He groaned as one of the new songs by the robot singer Courtney Gears came over the radio. “She was better in her last album.” he grumbled as he continued on his project, getting his complaint out of the way,. As he finished one of the final pieces on his project the radio cut out mid song.

“Oh come on you stupid thing.” One of his gloved fists slammed down on the top of the radio, hoping for it to work again, in the end he only received static until, finally, it cleared up.

_“Planet Tenemule is no more.”_

He turned to the radio, ‘what did they just say?’ He thought as the broadcast continued.

 _“Hello, Dallas Wannamaker here. Tonight at 5:00, another uninhabited planet destroyed without either warning or cause,”_ Green eyes stared at the small repaired radio in shock a gloved hand reaching out and turning the volume up as the reporter continued. _“making this one the fourth in recent memory of our once peaceful galaxy.”_

 _“As a result the president had requested our ever-vigilant Galactic Rangers increase their numbers from four to five.”_ At the mention of the galactic rangers, all interest in the news broadcast ended, and he tried to switch the station, hoping for some better music than what he was listening to before.

_*BZZT* “Just five? All” *ZZZRRRT* “- a message from” *BZZT* “- Quark”_

A loud groan escaped him as gloved hands met his light grey muzzle. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The message on the radio continued, only rather than the voice of the reporter, it was none other than the egocentric Quark, and there was no way to change the channel.

 _“Space, a wondrous realm full of adventure and peril, and, uh, bigness.”_ He looked at the clock and noticed that he still had a good hour before his next customer arrives to pick up his ship and so he turns down the radio where Quarks voice is nothing but background noise, and resumes making final touches to his project.

In the end he was so engrossed in his project that he doesn’t realize how much time has passed until there is a slight rapping on his window. He looks to the wide set window displaying the rest of the shop to see the one who all but raised him knocking on the glass.

The mechanic known as Grimm, a large built, large tusked behemoth, stood just within the door to the small work area. The young mechanic looked at Grimm’s large frame, taking in the deep purple skin and the light markings that covered his arms and large ears. Before he met Grimm’s eyes his own focused on the right tusk, broken off and shorter than the left due to an accident he caused years before.

He turned back to his work desk and returned the Ratchet he was just using just beside his project. “Yeah Grimm, what do ya need?”

The large mechanic sighed, probably thinking that the answer was obvious “When was the last time you checked your clock kid?” Grim asked as the young mechanic looked to him in confusion. “Clank, your customer is here to pick up his ship.” Grimm moved from the door and the teen’s large ears turned up in surprise, turning back to the clock he had lying on his desk. 6:15pm Galactic Time, Dammit he was 15 minutes late!!

“Sorry Grimm, I’ll get right on that!!” Clank yelled back as he raced out of the small workspace. He ran up to the elderly alien, using his tail as a counterbalance as he ran. “I’m so sorry you had to wait for me.” He explained as he neared the customer. “Your ship is right this way.” Clank lead the gentleman to the lone ship that inhabited the shop as he continued.

“Now, I managed to fix the ejector seat, it should be running good as new, I also noticed that one of the electron coils was loose, and the propulsion system seemed to have been jammed with a lot of unwanted debris, so I went ahead and fixed those up for you free of charge.” The gentleman nodded with everything Clank said.

“Are you quite sure you don’t want anything for the extra repairs?” He asked as Clank stopped his explanation of all repairs done. Clank’s large ears fell. “Yeah, I mean they were smaller repairs, so I just got them out of the way before they became to much of a problem.” He explained as he shifted, placing his hands to his hips.

Grim watched from the wall as Clank lead the man to the small desk and two chairs that served as the office area, seeing how everywhere else was either for living or the garage, to settle out a payment. He tried to think back to a time when the garage was without the teen, but no memory came up, though it saddened him to think that the young infant, who grew up to a child who only wanted to see what more the universe had to offer, would later grow up to be a young teen who became complacent where he was.

If anything Grimmroth missed the small child who made a mess of the garage as they searched for scrap pieces that would be used in any number of his random projects. Projects ranging from a ship that was left almost finished behind the garage, to his current project that the teen hoped would aide in the shop, mainly with the little ones that parents would sometimes bring in.

Not to be misinterpreted, while Clank was by far the best employee any employer could dream of (not to mention ONLY employee Grimm has ever had) but Clank had always felt more like a son to Grimm than an employee, and he felt that the boy was only limiting himself in choosing to stay here.

Grimm watched as the teen dealt with the customer with the air of a professional, which Grimm had no doubt that he was. After the customer left, no doubt giving Clank a large tip for the extra work, the teen made his way back to his small workspace, stopping just before Grimm’s large form.

“So kid, got a good enough tip? You were practically skipping on your way back.” Grimm noted causing the teens large ears to drop against his head, a shocked expression on his face.

“What, I… I do not skip.” Clank tried to defend himself even though, if he were able to admit to himself, he did feel lighter on his feet. “And yeah it was a pretty decent tip, might even be able to get better parts to use for the damn leg.” Clank said as he sat down at his workbench, tapping a finger against the metal knee of his mechanical prosthetic leg.

Grimm looked at the metal prosthetic, something that ended just under where the teen’s green shorts began. The metal, although in great condition, was misleading due to the rust color that the majority of the metal contained. It hurt Grimm seeing the kid with that hunk of metal, rather than a leg of flesh and blood, but after the severe accident a few years back it was the only option Clank had if he ever wanted to walk again.

Clank must’ve caught Grimm starring for his voice interrupted the large man’s thoughts not even a few second later. “Grimm, I keep saying this, but it was never your fault, there was nothing you could’ve done.” Clanks hand went to the knee of his prosthetic, grip tightening just a bit. “Nothing, either of us could’ve done.” Were the final words, whispered and barely heard by his guardian.

Clank shakes himself of those thoughts, and turns the radio back on hoping against anything else that the Galactic disaster of a message has ended.

“ _And just a reminder for those who are just tuning in, the Galactic Rangers will be holding tryouts on the_ _Planet Veldin, in the Kyzil Plateau.”_

Clank turns off the radio at that last announcement and decides to work in silence. Even though, he thought the conversation had ended, Clank was still aware of Grimm’s presence standing in the doorway. A sigh signified that this entire time Grimm had been contemplating something and was finally ready to address it.

“Kid, I  think it’d be a good idea that you go to the tryouts.” Clank’s hands stilled in their work, slowly he turned in his chair till he was facing Grimm, then met Grimm’s gaze with his own incredulous one.

“You’re kidding… Right Grimm?” Clank honestly hoped it was a joke, he had no intention of going near the Rangers, but the look Grimm gave him said otherwise. “Grimm, you can’t be serious, those idiots wouldn’t even know how to save themselves from a paper bag, so I highly doubt they’d ever be able to save an entire galaxy.” Clank explained crossing his arms, he had explained to many, his views of the rangers and would continue doing so until the rangers would prove him wrong. Grimm again sighed.

“You know kid, I know how you feel about the rangers, but I remember when you were younger and so excited about what was outside our atmosphere, the ship you were working on is still out back, and I may have been working on it, hoping to get it finished by your birthday that’s coming up… suppose it’s not much of a surprise now.” Grimm rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly. “Anyway what I’m trying to say is that you should still be itching to go see more of the universe, most kids your age wouldn’t be able to sit still when there’s so much the haven’t seen yet,” Now Grimm met Clank’s eyes “What I’m trying to say is that I want you to be sure that staying here is exactly what you want, but you’ll never be sure until you see more.”

Clank stared at Grimm, normally the behemoth wouldn’t say much, a man of action more than a man of words. Due to this it always shocked him whenever the man would come out of the blue and say such heartfelt and wise things like that. Then he realized something. “Wait, you held onto that old ship, I thought that thing was destroyed after the first test drive?”

“Well, kid that’s what happens when you live with a mechanic.” Grimm stated, standing taller. “Now about what I said.”

Clank looked to his hands flexing them, “Grimm, as much as I know you are right, you and I both know that what I’m looking for is something that I’m not going to find.” Clank looked away from his hands. “At least, not without the risk that the answer I get is one that I didn’t want.”

Grim lets out a sigh, knowing that Clank is dead set on his ways. “If you ever change your mind, just come talk to me first. OK?”

Clank nods without turning around “You got it Grim.” With that said he gets back to working on his project, only missing one last component.


	2. First Impressions Matter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Neither of us claim as rights to the Ratchet and Clank series or anything mentioned in the fic
> 
> Without Further Ado, Let the Chaos Ensue

The small repair bot was stuck doing maintenance in the vent...again. The location is near the Chairman’s office, and due to that he can hear how overjoyed the pompous Blarg is at the destruction of the last few planets. As he works he tones out the lumbering steps of Victor, and focuses on the wires in front of him.

At some point in the conversation his audio receptors pick up Drek mentioning going on the offensive.

He sets the wrench down at the spot he was working and as quietly as possible makes his way to the opening. He misses some of the plan, but what he does catch is none the less worrisome.

“...Remove them from the equation altogether.” To Drek’s left the hired assistant, Zed if the defect remembers correctly, copies his hand movements. Victor’s head tilts with yellow eyes squinting. “You mean, we’ll battle?”

“Metal hand against hand. I trust this pleases you?” Drek asks with a evil glint. And the defect can only wonder who they are going against

Before anything else can be said, the robot leaves the vent to avoid detection. Before completely leaving however, he goes back to the spot he was working and finishes the repairs. He just finishes when another alert is transmitted to him, alerting him of a new problem to fix in the main factory. 

He does the robot equivalent of a sigh, shoulders dropping with his head falling forward, and quickly fixes the last area assigned to him within the vents. He makes his way back out of the vents towards the main factory. He enters and finds it completely dark. The only lighting comes from the lightning flashes outside, and his illuminating optics. He makes his way to the ground panel, his one working eye illuminating his path. 

He makes quick work of the panel and quickly fixes the problem, just as another bolt strikes the nearby tower, traveling through the machines to the panel and shocking the bot. The small blast launches him a few feet, a thousand bits a data go through his servers at once, but the main one being the annihilation of the Galactic Rangers. 

When his systems reboot, he picks up the sound of the conveyor running again, and stumbles to his feet. He limps back over to the panel and like before makes quick work of it, this time shutting everything off. Everything but the lights shuts down, and before he can move away a thundering boom sounds just behind him with a scarily familiar voice grunting “Defect.”

Every single mechanism in his small robotic body locks up, and it takes everything just to turn around and face the brute face to shins.

Victor stares down at the defect with a robotic smirk, finally getting to do away with it. All he takes is one step before the defect remembers how to move, and dashes between his legs. Thanks to his time spent fixing mistakes in the vents he can easily navigate his way within.

As he goes through the vents,taking turns by memory, he enlists assistance from the other robots, ones that have in the past, helped him with repairs who now were essential to make his escape. In order to make it through the safest path the small robot, at some points, needs to exit the safety of the vents. It is during these times that Victor crashes, literally, through the walls to continue the chase. He makes quick use of the water mains, knowing the larger bots aversion to water, in order  to stall the older warbot. 

He finds the garbage disposal and makes his escape from the factory there. Normally he takes going down shafts such as these slowly, but seeing how his very existence is on the line, he can’t do things like he used to.

He tumbles head over heels as he flies out of the shoot, some of his limbs, after years of taking hits from Victor, get pulled out of their sockets and the lens of his cracked eye falling completely out, leaving him completely blindsided.

He makes his way to the nearby shuttle, all but dragging his body there and with his working arm pulls himself into the ship, setting the co-ordinance for anywhere but his current location, hoping someone at the new location can fix what has happened.

* * *

Clank rests on the small platform hanging above the garage, over looking the barren landscape that is the Kyzil Plateau. His tail is hanging limply over the edge as he stares at the stars that dot the night sky. He realizes that the last time he sat up here was when he was still working on his ship. He recalls the hours he spent on the platform trying to figure out which star, which direction, he would go to search first. As he got older though, the dream of leaving diminished as the vague thought of a family was replaced with what he already had.

A few moments pass of just gazing at the star lit sky, when a streak of light flashes across his field of vision. Not just at a distance where it’s go in a second, but one that if it were any closer would allow him to feel the heat of what now can be identified as a ship.

Clank follows the ship as it crashes, having borrowed the small rocket sled for the endeavor. He watched as, in the distance, the ship crashed. Smoke already beginning to rise from the large crater it created. 

“Crap.” Clank sped up, racing to get to the crash site, hoping to find that no major damage or injury had occurred. He stopped the rocket sled a few meters from the edge of the crater, racing to look at the damage done upon impact. He leapt into the large crater and cautiously approached the vessel.

“Hello? Is there anyone in there who can hear me?” He approached the large window, feeling the heat leaping of the flames as he peered inside. Inside, leaning against the back of the co-pilot seat. From the darkened glass of the window Clank could clearly make out that it wasn’t organic. Needless of the damage, he couldn’t just leave someone in a ship that was likely to blow up, whether or not they were organic.

With that thought he removed his large wrench, something Grimm claimed was Lombax make, from his back and brought it to the glass. To his right one of the engines succumbed to the flames as it exploded enveloping more of the ship. With his wrench, Clank finally managed to pry open the glass, the domed glass shield fell back and Clank reached into the wrack to recover what he could, unable to find the remains for the missing arm and leg. Clank took what he could and left before the ship exploded and destroyed him, and what was left of the little robot.

During his escape the robots remaining leg fell off, but with the danger of the ship exploding in moments he had no option but to leave the piece behind. 

Safe behind the ledge, he rests the broken bot down so that he can better assess the damage. He notes that one of the optics is missing, while the other is badly damaged. It’s now missing three of its limbs. The chest and head are scratched, and if anything it would be better to scrap the entire thing. With that thought his mind drifts to the project in progress back at the garage. This small robot could have the final component he needs, but does he do this? Does he take what he needs from this bot to finish what he started, or does he look elsewhere?

His gaze drops back to the bot, saddened by the sight of the thing. Not a moment later, he makes up his mind and picks up what he can, being careful to keep as much intact as he can, not wanting to damage it anymore.

* * *

As a robot it isn’t natural to feel an out of body experience, or the sensation of leaving one’s body and moving to another, that’s what it felt like though. As the small defect started powering up it was aware of the sensation new systems that weren’t it’s own.

Slowly, still unsure about the programs that governed the new shell, the repair-bot powered up, checking over the systems and controls for the chassis that was not its own. The eyes powered up just for the robot to realize their vision was no longer obscured by the large crack that took up almost the entirety of one optic. They looked to their hands, and noted that luckily not much changed and that the hands still consisted of four fingers. The arms were different though, before they were thick now they were slender starting at their shoulders than where an organics elbows would be the arms gained thickness to accommodate the four fingered hands. There were mechanisms in the midsection that allowed for the chassis to bend. Finally the robot took in the legs, which were similar to the arms where they started thin and gained thickness before meeting up with the feet.

The small robot, still learning this new chassis’s functions, performed a robots equivalent of a blink, then noticed a new function that wasn’t present in its last chassis. Reaching one arm up slowly, still learning the controls, the robot felt a large protrusion on the side of their head. It ran scans on the inner protocols and found that the protrusions, something that resembled what he thought to be pointed ears, were able to scan through radio channels.

After taking stock of the new chassis, the robot finally took a look around its surrounding area. The room itself looks to be a personalized one, with self drawn blueprints pinned onto the edges of shelves as well as prototypes following those blueprints. One such blueprint looks to be of the chassis he now inhabits.

A fold away bed is set up on the far side of the room. On it, a form that is all but a larger version of his chassis sleeps curled up in a blanket. The figure stirs a bit before settling down on the side that now faces him. Now able to sees the creatures face, the newly built bot goes over the expanded database to try and identify the sleeping figure, only to come up empty. Apparently the creator of this body failed to create a completed database, though luckily the switch didn’t delete or damage his current database.

The robot stretches out the fingers of the chassis and hears the shift of a nearby tool. It looked down and found a relatively large ratchet, or maybe it just looked that way in comparison to its hands. It lifted one of the hands and curled the fingers around the tool. The metal of the tool scraped against the metal workbench and the sleeping form shifted. The bot froze, waited for the form to stop moving before jumping down from the workbench to the ground below.

The sound seems to alert the inhabitant of the bed, as he shifts once again only this time sitting up. Before they can notice that they’re up and about, the robot falls limp to the ground with the ratchet within his range. He dims his eyes to make it seem as though he is not quite online, and studies the individual from this new angle.

The individual is dressed in little more than green shorts showing off the dark stripes along his arms and back, as well as the lighter stomach fluff. He stretches his arms above his head and back. His tail hangs limp with the fluffy tip dragging on the ground From his spot he can just barely make out a metal attachment on their left leg. He turns to the workbench that the robot was just on to find him missing. 

All remaining traces of sleep leaves him as he jumps over the bed to try and find his project, when he spots him on the floor a little ways away. He releases a sigh of relief at finding them only for it to turn into a howl of pain as the robot seems to power up completely and hits him in the head with the ratchet he hadn’t noticed laying on the ground next to them.

Clank crouches down with his forehead in his hands howling in pain. The robot standing defensively with the ratchet held up and over their shoulder like a bat. Binary flashes red across their screen like face in a threat. Clank holds one of his hands out in a hopefully placating manner, hoping to deter the robot from taking another whack at him.

“OK, that was not how I thought this would go. I thought that you would still be on the bench, and I would be able to do one final check to make sure everything is operational before you activated. But if you want to activate yourself go right ahead.”

The robot’s screen flashed an uncertain shade of grey, almost appearing a pale blue on his screen. The small robot lowers its makeshift weapon, but not all the way, still expecting a fight. Clank sits back maintaining his distance, unsure of how the robot will react to any sudden movements. 

Before anything else can happen though Grim comes up on the hydraulic lift, and knocks on the window. Before Clank can do anything the Robot turns on the balls of their robotic feet, and throws the ratchet at the window. Grim manages to duck out of the way, but the lift falls without the hands on the controls and everything is silent. The robot turns back to look at Clank unsure of what just happened himself, but the pixels that make up its eyes flash purple in what can only be fear.

Now, not only has the robot attacked one, but has attacked two individuals. It also didn’t help that it was no longer with Drek where he knew the punishments for such acts. Where he was now though… well he didn’t even know where he was, but he was also completely unaware of what punishment these two strangers would deal him.

The robot tried to apologize, but found that during its initial check of the systems it had forgotten to check for a voice modulator and was still without a voice, even though they were in a new chassis, It was, however, aware of the binary that flashed across the screen that worked with his vision. The grey figure stepped forward, slowly making their way to stand in front of it before slowly bringing himself to his knees.

“Hey, it’s okay, this is a shock and you were just protecting yourself.” The stranger said in a gentle voice and continued. “Based on when I found you at that crash site, I can’t be sure how much damage was due to prior treatment or what actually happened due to the crash, but I managed to transfer your core and memory banks into the chassis you now inhabit.”

The robot slowly calms down, but still remains on the defensive, not yet trusting what the individual said. When the individual sat down, the robot followed his example, and tried not to jump as the the large creature from before came up on the lift once again, and dropped the ratchet through the broken glass. “I’ll just leave that there then.” and left once again.

Clank face palms at what just happened and the robot just stares at the returned ratchet. “If you want to grab that you can, if it makes you feel better I mean.” Clank says as he gestures towards the dropped tool. The robot slowly inches towards it as the individual continues talking.

“So the one who just dropped in is Grimroth, and he’s kinda like a dad to me, so I thank you for not hitting him even though you wanted to. As for me, my name is Clank. It’s not my real name, but a nickname because of how often this thing breaks.” he says rapping a knuckle against the metal prosthetic. Clank than gestures to the robot. “What about you?”

The robot thinks about the question, does he truly have a name, or is he just a string of numbers and letters put together to make something. He looks around the room, and spots an all too familiar form underneath the bench he was on. Without warning he gets up and pulls out the broken form of his former chassis. Seeing it with all of the damage, and he’s glad to be given the second chance. The longer he stares at the form the more memories come unwarranted. 

His grip on the ratchet tightens and without any warning he lifts it above his head and smashes it down on the form. Again and again he does this, his screen covered in a mix of red and blue pixels. His anger and sadness on display for all around him.

He feels a hand rest on his shoulder, and he loses his strength. The ratchet falls uselessly to the ground, as does the robot to his knees. Clank looks at the damage done, and knows that what ever happened in that body must have been bad to warrant this reaction. The robot quickly looks up at Clank, the red pixels quickly being overrun by blue. 

“Come on Ratchet. Let’s dispose of this.” Clank says with a sad smile as he picks up the further damaged body. Setting it on the workbench to further dismantle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Da da da, that’s the end.
> 
> Salmon: Dang I didn’t see that ending coming, it just kinda happened, so you can all thank Blue for that.
> 
> Peace, Love, and Virtual Hugs.
> 
> This fic can also be found on my twin's Fanfiction account BlueManiac359. if you ever have time I would suggest you give her stuff a glace, you can find some really interesting stuff there.


	3. Unwanted Praise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N In the chapter Ratchet’s speech kinda breaks that is on purpose, he is speaking through multiple radio stations playing Frankenstein with sentences hence why the sentences are broken and using Bold, Italics, Caps, etc. that was the idea of Blue, so if you don’t like it blame her.  
> So without further ado, Let the chaos ensue.

Ratchet, as the defect was called in this new chassis, found comfort in watching as the scrap heap of his old chassis was dismantled. They watched as the individual, Clank, separated the pieces, tossing any nuts, bolts or hinges into a pile. The larger pieces of metal though, or at least the ones that were still usable were tossed into a pile of scrap metal in the corner, awaiting their chance to be reused.

“So can I ask why your chassis was in such bad shape?” Clank asked without looking up from his work. His hands set on an organic form of autopilot as they continued breaking apart the old chassis. Ratchet was silent, not like he really had a voice box to use, but he really didn’t want to answer the question anyway.

Clank’s hands stopped and he turned, green eyes watching him, searching for an answer otherwise ungiven. Clank shrugged and turned back around, hands resuming their work. “Though if your reaction to Grimm and me was any indication, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you weren’t treated too well.” Clank said without turning back to Ratchet, so he had missed Ratchet’s reaction to the words.

Ratchet tries his best to ignore the comment and begins organizing all of the smaller pieces to distract himself. Clank had heard the shuffling, and getting an idea of what he was doing, reached underneath the workbench and produced three empty containers. “If you want, you can sort them into these to make it easier.” He points out as he sets them next to the small robot.

The workshop then drops into a silence that is only broken by the sounds of metal being taken apart and falling against one another in containers. Clank knew he was missing the voice box from his project, but the visual screen that worked as the chassis’s eyes showed enough emotion for Clank to get a clear understanding, and when he looked at Ratchet after he had attacked Grimm he got a clear sense of fear if the bright cautionary yellow was anything to go by.

After a few more minutes of silence, the old beaten chassis was completely disassembled, Clank leaned back in his chair stretching any stiffness from his joints. He groaned as his back cracked ‘I really have to move.’ Clank inwardly complained as he shuffled the remaining pieces into his arms before standing. He turned to drop the new scrap into the large bin that sat in the corner when a hand grabbed ahold of the leg of his shorts.

When he turned and looked down he saw Ratchet replacing their hand back to their side, their screen black before white binary scrolled across it. Clank watched as there was a pause at the end before it flashed across again.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, you attacked in self defense.” Clank said. Ratchet looked down no longer meeting Clank’s eyes but his screen was still visible should more binary go across it. Clank kneeled down infront of Ratchet.

“But why now? If you were being treated so badly, why didn’t you leave before?” Clank asked gently, and it took a few moments before Ratchet looked up and a frenzied amount of binary began scrolling across the chassis’ screen to fast to read.

“Wait you’re talking too fast, you need to go slower.” Clank stated noting that already the Binary was scrolling at a slower pace, but he was only able to catch the end of the sentence.

“Wait what do we have to warn the Galactic Rangers about?”

Ratchet, though there were no sounds, physically sighed slouching forward, when he looked back up the binary was scrolling across the screen once again, though this time at a slower pace and he was silent as he read it.

“Wait, so you worked for the guy who's responsible for the destroyed planets?” Clank asked looking to Ratchet. The small robot nodded and more binary scrolled. “But you were just a repair bot.” Clank clarified after reading the added information. Ratchet nodded then moved his hand in a way to tell Clank to continue.

“And the information of an attack against  Galactic Rangers was transmitted to you.” Again Ratchet nodded and Clank continued his summary. “ So you were planning on warning them but this ‘Victor’, during your escape attacked and you pretty much ended up with no control over where the ship was going and you crashed here.” Clank finished Ratchet nodded his head again, confirming that what Clank said was correct.

Clank sighed, honestly, it was almost the entire galaxy was trying to get him off of Veldin. “Kinda funny really, if you had gotten here a day sooner you would’ve been able talk to them during the Ranger tryouts.” Clank stated, “Though I guess you’re still in luck, I have a ship that’s almost if not complete. We can use that to get to Aleero City.”

Ratchet’s programing was a buzz with excitement as he thought of actually being able to help in more than just repairs. “I’ll just go check with Grimm to make sure the ship is ready.” Clank said as he exited the room.

Ratchet watched Clank exited the room, and waited till he got back. Looking over at the scrap that will hopefully be put to good use, not like it was with the Blarg.

* * *

 

Turns out the ship was fit for flying, with a few added features that Grimm took the liberty to include stating that the Galaxy wasn’t that safe to fly without some form of protection. As it turned out though, the ship was still missing a robot ignition system. With nothing but a grumbled farewell to Clank and Ratchet the two situated in the pilot and co-pilot seats. They set off, where not even a few moments pass before it becomes evident that Clank can’t pilot a ship to save his life.

Ratchet makes up for this and quickly grabs the controls to keep them on course. The small chassis places itself in the Lombaxes lap and uses the navigation system that Grimm included to bring the ship towards the Capital of Aleero City. Clank sits back and tries to sink into the seat, embarrassed by what happened.

“So as you can see, I can’t fly a ship.” Clank admits after a few minutes and Ratchet’s head rolls in a sorta ‘duh’ motion. The rest of the flight is in silence, and by the time they reach Aleero it’s too late.The newly built robot forces are already attacking the Hall of Heroes, the Galactic Rangers fighting to keep the forces from advancing.

Ratchet looks out the main window as he pilots the ship into a nose dive to get closer and hopefully give the Rangers hope of help. He wishes to convey a plan to Clank but knows he can’t turn around to do so. To use the ship to his advantage he hacks into the ship’s mainframe and turns on the radio system to make use of the people on air. Using the updated systems of his new chasis he scans multiple stations and pieces together words from different stations. Sometimes having to switch in the middle of one word to complete what he wants to say.

“ **Does** _ this  _ **_SHIP_ ** have  _ any  _ **defenses** _ in _ **_stalled_ ** ?” Clank delays at the hacked into radio system, but quickly shakes loose from his stupor. For a moment Clank thought about what Grimm told him before he scrambled to grab a packet from one of the compartments located on the dashboard. Looking sideways for a second Ratchet could see that it was clearly handwritten and hastily put together. It took a few moments till Clank found what he was looking for.

“Grimm installed the Gadgetron Weapons Package. The package includes multiple types of missiles, some light shielding and some kind of MagBooster.” Clank said as he listed off the different attachments.

If Ratchet could he would scoff at the Gadgetron brand. The only thing they do right is hire cute female salesrobots. But as Clank lists off the weapons installed, the robot all but vibrates in his seat. “ _ The  _ magbooster are a good investment!  **I’m** **_eager for_ ** what  _ can  _ **happen** **_BECAUSE OF_ ** them.” A sense of foreboding washes over Clank and he can’t help but fear what could happen because of it.

“Now  **The robot army in front of the Hall of Heroes** _ are  _ **_made_ ** use raritanium.  **Isolate the** raritanium  **_from the_ ** other metals **we can** win.” The possessed radio says, and the foreboding feeling drains from Clank and is replaced with excitement. “OK, think you can do that and pilot the ship, or should I try to pitch in now?”

Ratchet places one hand under his chin in contemplation. After finding the correct stations he lets the radio speak for him. “I’m  _ trusting  _ **you** to  **_DRIVE!”_ ** The radio says as Ratchet simultaneously relinquishes control of the ship. Clank dives for the controls as Ratchet shifts over to the passenger seat of the ship and opens up the holo, imputing the data he had from his first chassis, displaying the blueprints used to create the army. Going through all of the materials and minerals used in their creation.

Clank meanwhile does his best to keep the ship straight, knowing he would much rather be driving the hoversled.

* * *

 

The Galactic Rangers watch as some unknown vehicle flies through the air space above the battle erratically. Now that was the kind of person they would be looking for in the boonies, that is to say if they were respectable in everything else.

Captain Quark looks to the ship, and immediately feels cheated.

* * *

 

Clank does his best to keep the ship straight, so as not to disturb the robot working within the ship. Turns out there was a wire that went faulty somewhere that allowed the magnet to work, without it, they couldn’t carry out the plan.

As Ratchet works, Clank can’t help but to feel he is forgetting something, but that thought is quickly extinguished as soon as Ratchet crawls out from the dash.

“You get everything hooked up?” He asks as Ratchet makes himself comfortable. Ratchet doesn’t hack into the radio to answer only gives the lombax a thumb up with a face splitting grin displayed on the LED screen.

“Then fire it up.”

Ratchet does as requested, and as the magnet warms up nothing happens. When it finishes, Ratchet is driven into the ceiling of the ship with a shocked expression done in cautionary yellow.

Clank simply glances up, but is quick to face forwards at the red binary directed at him. “Well, at least we know it works.” Ratchet can only glare at his companion as the magnet does its job and pulls the war bots towards itself.

* * *

 

The citizens of Aleero were shocked at what they were witnessing. Everything appeared to be lost as the Galactic Rangers were driven back by the War Bots. Just as all hope was lost the War Bots were picked up in the air by an unknown entity.

One camera manages to get a clear view within the cockpit of the ship and captures an image of the pilot with light grey fur striped darker. They appear to be conversing with someone else within the craft, but words are lost as they fly off.

The footage is projected throughout the galaxy, including that of a desert planet where the guardian of the teen works on unaware of the danger his charge is in.

* * *

 

Clank flies the ship towards the main fleet, Ratchet arching his back trying to at least change his position, but is held fast by the magnetic force applied. The Grey toned Lombax flies the ship towards the closest battle ship at full speed, and just as he’s about to hit it, pulls up on the stick, and disarms the magnet.

Ratchet falls as soon as the force holding him vanishes and silently fumes, just hoping for the chance to get a new voice box so that he can give the insufferable lombax a piece of his robotic mind.

The Warbots that were being dragged behind the ship are released from the magnets force as well, but the motion drives them straight towards their own ship, laying waste to their forces onboard.

Glad with the outcome Clank decides to follow through with the other four ships in the area. Ratchet sees where this is going and holds on to the seat, trying to stay off the ceiling, but failing each time, causing a sizable dent that Clank will have to buff out later. ‘Serves that stupid organic right.’ He silently thinks.

As the last battle ship crashes to the unseen surface below, the citizens of Aleero fail to see the older model making his escape in a fit of rage at the failed operation.

Captain Quark on the other hand sees the ecstatic citizens and immediately thinks it’s all for him. Holding his arms open he expects the masses to crowd around him for the continued safety of their city. What came as a shock to the Hero was the citizens blowing right past him and heading straight towards the ship that is now touching down on the landing pad.

The green clad alien looks and is afraid to say that he has never seen such a creature before, and he has been all over Solana. Quark decides to focus on the ‘heroes’ later, and instead rushes to stand directly between them and the press/citizens.

“Alright everyone, let’s give these heroes some room. I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions on their behalf.” The larger male says with a smile and The two behind him can only give confused stares.

“Captain Qwark, Juanita Alvaro,  _ HoloVid Nightly. _ ” The robotic female reporter started, holding a microphone in front of quark. “The Blarg have been underground for over 50 years. Could their return be linked to the destroyed planets?” 

Qwark is quick to dismiss Juanita, claiming that she is being an alarmist by saying such a thing. Clank takes this moment to speak up. “I beg your pardon, but Drek is responsible for what happened, and this robot right here may be able to help figure out what his plans are.”

The crowd converses amongst one another while Quark turns to address the ‘heroes’

“Now there is no need to be so hasty and say that, so just sit back and let the true heroes handle this.” 

He turns before he can see the red binary flash across the LED screen of the robot, and Clank covers it up before it’s caught on film. Another news reporter chimes in. “Captain Qwark, Dallas Wannamaker here.” A taller green skinned aliens introduces himself while he too holds out a mic for Quark to answer into. “Does that mean you’ll be asking these two heroes to join the rangers?”

Both Qwark and Clank look up and in disbelief and inquire “Say what now?” 

Ratchet switches his gaze between the two, but doesn’t understand the reactions the organics make, and he’s not sure if he ever will.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N So that’s it for this chapter, next time Ratchet gets a new voice box, and Clank tries not to kill himself with the weaponry of the Rangers.  
> Until next time, Peace, Love, and Virtual Hugs.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, Hey, Hey, first time we’ve tried this but this story is co-written between the accounts of Samansa-Chan147/Salmon-Wrighte and BlueManiac359. Tell us what you guys think, and since it is co-written it will be posted on Blue's account on Fanfiction as well as this one here so please check both accounts out.
> 
> So this story was an idea by Blue where Ratchet is the robot and Clank is the Lombax, I have drawn some of the designs, and on a later date will post them to my DeviantArt account under Samansa-Chan147. Anyway we hope that you all enjoy the Story and tell us what you think in the reviews.
> 
> So that’s it for now, and as a reminder for those of you who don’t read the first author note, this is posted on both this and BlueManiac359 accounts. If you liked this story, feel free to check out the other stories of either account
> 
> Until Next time, Peace, love, and virtual hugs.


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